Tokyo, June 27, 2014 – Kobo Inc., a subsidiary of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, Inc., today announced the company will collaborate with the famous Japanese girl pop group Nogizaka46 at the Japan Expo in Paris, France, to showcase the latest in “Cool Japan” culture and Kobo content to Japan enthusiasts from around the world. Nogizaka46 has recorded a version of the theme song for the long-running animated TV series Naruto, which is based on the world-famous manga series Naruto – available at Kobo.com.
The Japan Expo is an annual festival celebrating Japanese culture and entertainment. Held from July 2 – 6 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center, it is the largest festival showcasing Japanese culture in Europe, with more than 260,000 visitors expected over the five-day period.
This year marks the second time the Rakuten Group has participated in the Japan Expo. At the booth, visitors will have the chance to experience the latest in “Cool Japan,” with a variety of unique Japanese items on offer from Rakuten Ichiba e-commerce marketplace merchants. Popular French language eComics from Japan, including popular manga series Naruto, will be displayed to consumers on Kobo Arc 7HD tablets and Kobo Aura eReaders.
To celebrate Japanese culture, Nogizaka46 is scheduled to appear on stage for a live performance as one of the official Expo events, and will then be at the Rakuten booth for special talk shows. In addition, there will be a dedicated Nogizaka46 space offering the group’s CDs, DVDs, and other branded merchandise.
Kobo serves 20 million readers around the world and works with 1.3 million authors to deliver one of the world’s best catalogues of more than 4 million eBooks and magazines*.
*The Kobo Magazine Store is currently available in North America, the UK, France, and Italy – with more countries to be added soon.
About Japan Expo
Started in 2000, Japan EXPO has now become the biggest festival about Japanese culture and entertainment in Europe. This year, the annual event celebrates its 15th anniversary.